Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Shaun on October 20, 2010, 11:01:00 PM
-
Finally dry enough in Iowa to cross my creek with hip waders. That's what I did about 4 this afternoon with a ladder stand in mind that is just right in a SW wind. It overlooks some bitternut hickories and honey locusts that the deer like to browse under this time of year.
Did not take a deer with a bow last year, back in the groove about 6 PM tonight with one of my first self bows made several years ago. 51 @ 28 short recurve with sinew and snake skins, cane arrow and 125 Grizzly. Yearling doe, 20 yard shot - liver and far lung - she fell in sight.
Five minutes later the next arrow went to the fletching in the same spot (between the last ribs) into the doe as she quartered away. Marked the blood trail and will be back out at daybreak with a friend and his tracking dachshund.
Found a heavy shed near the spot this little one fell. Dreaming of antlers come November... For now its good to have fresh venison again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/shaunw/Hunting2010003.jpg)
#2 - Hit the blood trail at first light with Randy's BTT Wirehair Dachshund. She is getting pretty stove up from age, arthritis and couch sitting. She did a good job tracking to the creek but did not bale over the 12 foot bank. I thought I had seen the doe make it to this spot and disappear, but did not hear a splash of crossing. We drove around and tried all the trails on the other side of the creek to no avail.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/shaunw/Hunting2010006.jpg)
Back home after thanking Randy and his Teckle Trina then took a break for an hour or so and headed back to do it the old fashioned way. The blood trail was too light to follow so I went over the bank of the creek and found foot tracks. A fresh set headed west and then back up on the same side. I did a thorough grid searching west and checked all the brush piles in the creek downstream in case she floated down.
Then back to the creek bank and found another set going east on the same side. All the commotion after the shot had been east, but I thought it was all the third member of this family group. As I grid searched East I was composing my "couldn't find it post" - I hate those. I was sure the shot had gone exactly where I meant it and that it should have been quickly fatal. I look under every dead fall and bush and search the distance for white. Must have found 10 white plastic jugs from flood debris in the woods this morning. Spotted one more white jug about 11:30 but this one turned into my doe as I approached.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/shaunw/Hunting2010009.jpg)
She had flown over the creek bank at a full run and somehow managed to turn and follow the other deer.
My arrow had gone in just where I thought (actually between ribs 2 and 3) and the BH was in the lungs. She must have been down and out in less than a minute.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/shaunw/Hunting2010012.jpg)
-
So, I am reading that you shot two does in a span of 5 minutes? That's fantastic. Tell us about your bow.
-
Shaun, you are making me jealous buddy. I have had next to no time in the woods this season so far, partly my own doing as I like to wait till later in the season to hunt.
Great job, congratulations on making meat!
-
Yes looper, two in five minutes, though the second one is still out there - will post pics if the trail ends well.
The bow was my first from scratch. It was made by posting pictures and asking questions on TG. It was an experimental platform and started life as a longbow, then was recurved after tillering - against all advise of my mentors. At that point it gained a name "No No Nannette". I then added deer leg sinew, rattler skins and antler tip overlays. It is not a fast bow - about medium as self bows go, but it has that "feel" and puts em where I look. Two arrows 20 and 18 yards both in the exact spots I had imagined. Confidence in your gear is a great help and believing the arrow will find the mark helps make it so.
rascal, come on down this winter and make some shavings - after the season is bow making time.
-
Congrats :thumbsup:
-
Nice bow, arrow and deer, or is it deers! :saywhat:
-
:thumbsup: Way to go Shaun, what a way to start the fall here in Iowa.
-
....sweet ....good job
-
good job buddy.sweet looking bow.keep up the good work,steve :thumbsup:
-
Nice job,beautiful bow also.
Pappy
-
Way to go Shaun!!!!
-
Nice!
-
Great job Shaun.. Another fine bow. I remember your osage self bow you brought to Ohio a couple years back. That was a fine looking bow and great little shooter also. Good luck on with the second doe.
-
:clapper:
-
Way to go Shaun. Good looking set up.
Chuck
-
Well done!
-
Nice shooting Shaun!
Good lookin bow.
-
:notworthy:
-
Excellent, Congrats on some great shooting!
-
Great job Shaun!
-
Congrats!!
God Bless,
Nathan
-
What a very cool looking bow. It's even prettier because it shoots where you look...
-
Nice deer and one fine looking bow.
-
Awesome Shaun!!
I didn't realize that you had made it back east until this post.
I hope we get to read about your experiences from your sojourn out west.
Great job on these two!
God bless,Mudd
PS: Pitch the tipi, start a fire and roast some deer meat over the open flame. It will taste soooo wonderful. (Personal experience talking!)
-
Shaun,
Congrats bud ! Them long quartering away shots are death when executed properly. Hard to make yourself shoot one that far back on the near side, but you have to do that if you want it to come out the far end in the right spot. I shot a 6 point years ago behind the last rib in his waist area. Leaves were still on so when he took off I could not see him. I could hear him run about 30 yds, stop, then fall and hear him trashing leaves for 10 seconds and it was all over. I got down walked over to where I shot him and found my broadhead and 6" of arrow laying right there. When I got to the buck the arrow had come out perfectly right between his right shoulder and neck. When his right leg swept forward to run he broke that 6" of arrow and broadhead off right at the shot. When I gutted him you could see the other 22" of arrow perfectly angled thru the boiler room. I learned a valuable lesson that day on shot angles.
Here is another lesson I learned the hard way.... Do not take quartering TOO YOU shots. I lost two deer over that last several years due to my stupidity and impatience, both on opening day. Just could not wait for the deer to present a better shot and had the opening day jitters. On the quatering too you shot if you shoot the least bit too far back it just goes from bad to worse as the arrow is heading away from the boiler room.
Shaun, that is one nice bow and a great story about recurving it when others said it could not be done. Sure hope Mason can get one with his osage he made at Pappy's summer before last. Still laugh from time to time about them, " Iowa Striped Whistlers ". That was a great campfire story at Compton this past summer. Now go get us a " Horn Monster " bud !
-
Good meat, Shaun. My favorite kind!
-
Great job! That is a good looking bow. Congrats! :thumbsup:
-
Congrats!
-
:thumbsup: Great job!
-
Sweet! Love the stick too, Can't wait to take my first one with a bow I built.
Stiks
-
Congratulations Shaun, You done good! Also, that is a really nice looking bow.
I'm waiting to hear how your Wyoming adventure turned out. After spending nine months there Montana looked really, really, good.
-
Great story and love the deer pic BUT THAT bow is awesome!
J
-
Walt, it was good to see you in Pinedale. WY adventure went well with close to 100% success by hunters (one fellow could not hit a broadside deer at 75 yards with a scoped rifle), but it was a gun crowd, so not much for stories for this site. I will post some pics and bow stories soon.
Deer #2 finding story added to page 1.
-
Man two in five minutes, I have not seen one in about 20 hours on stand. Congratulations!
-
Outstanding Shaun!
I was starting to wonder where you have been.
Sean
-
Glad you found her Shaun. Way to stay after her and not give up. Make sure you bring the backstraps out of doe # 1 to Compton, haha ! :biglaugh:
-
Congrats Shaun. Two great deer and that is one sharp bow!
-
way to go Shaun. You never fail to continually show me the hard to do it is the best way!
-
:bigsmyl: :notworthy: :notworthy:
-
Way to go Shaun!!! Love the profile on your bow too. :clapper:
David
-
Good for you Shaun. Nice bow.
-
:clapper: :clapper: Good shooting and a nice bow to boot.
-
Great stuff. Way to keep after it.
-
I just love any selfbow success stories.
-
That is some fine shooting! Great feeling I bet to take them with a self bow. 5 min apart? I would have been too shook up for that fast of shooting...LOL
-
Way to go sir! :thumbsup:
-
Way to keep after it. :thumbsup:
-
:clapper: :goldtooth:
Nice shooting Shawn